Arcade Fire
by Dekota
Summary: Promised yourself that you'd never do drugs, get drunk, tangle with boys or fall out with friends yet strangely enough it seems this crowd you run with seem to do this on a weekly basis.


Friday nights are practically sacred to average American teenager to just do stupid things and then laugh about it later for a good story with their friends in College, this particular Friday night however was certainly not the case.

Katara Larkem was resigning in her home sitting on the cream leather couch in the lounge room watching reruns of Buffy the Vampire slayer, tackling a painfully boring English essay about the life of _Lord Byron_. This turn of events also point to that fact that I, Katara Larkem, is pissed off and grounded. I should be at Riley Horn's – also known as Riley Horny for her notorious 'adventures' with the school ice hockey team – party, drunk off her head dancing with her boyfriend Jet to some song she didn't even know, but no, alas she was at home doing homework.

Even her brother Sokka and his new girlfriend Suki went to Riley's party. Traitors.

Frustrated that Lord Byron was intensely boring and that this essay was going _no where_, I threw the cheap pen in the note book full of messy writing and poorly down doodles of Mr Haymitch the grouchy English teacher and chucked the notebook across the room with a string of curses running out my mouth.

How could a dead guy cause so much annoyance _now_?

I attempted to relax into the couch and release any tension in my pent up shoulders and tried to forget that I was missing the most awesome party that everyone I know was attending that very moment.

Unfortunately I was failing miserably.

Trying to fill the deafening silence and glare of the disturbed cat sitting on the floor I turned on the TV so I could at least pretend I was doing something.

Buffy's grunts and sly words we're loud as she kicked ass on the television yet all I could think about was the horror of the photos that'll be posted on facebook tomorrow and that I'll have to face the onslaught of 'you should've been there...' stories forever.

Pulling a face, I glanced at the clock.

It was only eleven o'clock at night yet I was the only one in the house which was foreign for my family, I was usually gone from Friday night til Sunday afternoon. Well, I wasn't completely alone unless you count the old ginger cat Tammie who likes to glare at pretty much everyone, that is, but still.

Dad was staying in Iowa for the weekend to for some drills and meetings and to represent Armidale Cities Fire Brigade. To honestly tell you I'm not exactly sure what the hell he's actually doing in Iowa but all I know is that it's got to do with his job. I think. Sokka was clearly at Riley Horny's party.

The bastard.

Before you even wonder I hadn't even snuck out to the party yet is because Sokka would rat me out the moment dad stepped foot in the door.

Sokka is simply a pain in the ass.

His girlfriend Suki is almost as painful as him too.

Ah yes, Suki. Suki Gleick is a sweet, girl with good grades and a black belt in Tae Kwon do. She rarely curses and always smiles. To put it simple, Suki Gleick is the definition of girl next door which my brother Sokka is a sucker for.

Suki doesn't like to tread of other peoples toes or to make a fuss because Suki Gleick would rather play tea parties and to giggle at lame jokes that could've easily been pulled out of a Christmas bon bon. She's just way too innocent to be fifteen years old.

"What is life, Tammie?" I questioned, to the pet cat Tammie who had moved from the spot on the ground and was now currently sitting on the opposite side of the leather couch purring. Tammie had just meowed loudly in response, starring back with huge yellow eyes. Rolling her blue eyes, Katara stands to her feet and starts to walk to the bathroom for a hot bath.

If her Friday night was already ruined than perhaps a hot bath would at the very least sooth her rising temper.

****

Pouring honey scented bubble bath into the hot running water I turned away and took the blue floral summer dress off and panties and bra and threw them into the wash basket. Tying a thick white towel around my tanned, fit body I rolled my shoulders back and sighed. I step out of the bathroom and place my feet on the fluffy carpet and enters the hall to grab my book from my bedroom. My room was just across the hall from the bathroom so there hadn't been the need to turn the light on in the room as the light from the bathroom was bright enough to light my room enough. Walking across the dimly room to fetch the book _Sempre by J.M Darhower_ **(A/N actual book. Amazing.) **Katara had nearly missed that the bedroom next door to her had a light on. Pausing at the doorway from her room, she stood for the briefest moment to just stare at the large house next door. It was Zuko's room with the light on.

It bothered me slightly, Zuko had moved four years ago to England. Why would he come back to Armidale City? Perhaps it was Azula or Carol in his room? Shaking my head and chasing the though away I turned away. I walked back into the bathroom, hissing slightly as I walked on the cold white tiles to the large tub which was now filled with bubbles and the aroma of honey and slipped slowly savouring the instant warmth to my skin in with a sigh of satisfaction.

It's just Carol in Zuko's room to do dusting and vacuuming. That's all.

Wishing she had brought her Ipod doc into the bathroom Katara reaches over to the basin where she had placed her book to read.

If this Friday night had to boring and sober the least I could do was have the mother of all baths with bubbles. I defiantly deserved this right, grounded or not.

****

It was already the early hours at night yet I couldn't go to bed until Sokka came home and for me to scold him for making me stay up to unlock the door. Honestly, Hakoda _still_ hadn't given Sokka or I any house keys yet. Even when we'd brought the issue up to him numerous times Hakoda had answered with "I'm working on it kids, don't worry" much to the annoyance of Sokka and I.

At least tonight I had learnt something useful. Night time television sucked. Clicking my tongue loudly I continued to channel surf whilst Tammie was asleep in on my lap.

Oh, this is just great. It's like everything in life that was good like sleep or parties or chocolate was taunting her as a herseys ad played on the television.

My ears picked up the sound of loud footsteps crunching on gravel which meant that Sokka was home, but I suppose the loud thumping noises of his palm smacking the door was just clearly not enough to tell me either.

Moving a pissed of Tammie off my lap who hissed and ran into the kitchen I sat up and opened the door to face a drunken brother and his equally if not even moredrunk girlfriend giggling, holding onto one another as if they'd fall if they'd let go. Sighing at the pitiful sight I pushed the door open so they could get inside the house.

"Oh... Thanks fo-fo-for opening... the door sis! You're the best!" slurred Sokka as he let go of Suki who clung onto the door instead as Sokka lunged at his short sister for a huge hug which he missed, incredibly, to end up on the carpet laughing and groaning in pain.

Whoa look at all that pride as it slowly leaves the room.

Katara raised a perfectly shaped eyebrow at the scene of Sokka rolling around in a mixture of emotions.

"You're such a freak Sokka, you'd better know that." Katara says with a small smile on her face. Sokka clearly took no notice of any insults or didn't hear and continued rolling around on the floor.

Sokka usually kept his head when he drank. This was obviously not one of those nights then. Raising her eyes to look at Suki giggling at Sokka, I reached out and grabbed onto Suki's hand and pulled her away from the doorway so I could lock the door as a draft was coming in fast.

Suki leaned against my shoulder, sleepy. Looking at Sokka and seeing how wasted he was I decided to set Suki out into the lounge room onto the couch so she could sleep there tonight. No way in hell could she go home in this state, it'll be like a horrendous mission impossible movie which would never end.

It's strange to see an honour student and most-likely-to-become-president Suki like this since you kind of suspect that those kids would be hell bent against drinking and other things that made life actually worth living. I suppose Suki is the living proof that you can have the best of both worlds.

Walking back into the hallway to check on her lazy brother Katara found him snoring on the floor which meant that it was Katara's job to get him into his bed or just leave him there. Temptation had never been this strong. Deciding to let the angel on her shoulder make the decision I helped up my football playing brother up which was very far from easy from my 5''5ft frame but I had incredibly found a way to manage. Climbing the stairs however was another story.

Going down the hall to Sokka's room was the easiest part because all Sokka did was stumble faster to his room. Pushing open the slightly jarred door with my foot I had to witness the scene of dirty clothes, food and god knows I didn't want to know what else was hiding in a teenage boys room. I pushed myself and Sokka in and tried to avoid the piles of mess and kind of dropped Sokka on the unmade bed. Pulling his muddy sneakers off and throwing them on the floor I pulled the blanket over Sokka's body, satisfied, I went down the stairs to check on Suki who thankfully was still sleeping.

Tired and slightly pissed off Katara walked over to the television and turned it off and turned all the lights on the first floor off as she went to her room. Once she had entered her bedroom to her dismay she saw that dawn was approaching.

"Son of a bitch no, why?" Katara yelled in an exhausted tone as she crossed over to her window and pulled the blinds down.

****

The sound of a lawn mower in the distance woke Katara up at midday the next day.

Rolling over in bed I nearly squashed a forever pissed off Tammie who growled and trode off the bed in a huff with her stubby ginger legs.

"Sorry..." I mumbled starring at the place Tammie had been.

I laid there for awhile starring at the white ceiling which had glow-in-the-dark stars everywhere. Those stars had been there since middle school when I'd thought it would be 'cool' to have a 'look at the night sky' thing in my room. After all these years I hadn't found it in my heart to get rid of them just yet.

Deciding that I'd sat there for long enough I heaved myself up slowly and threw my legs over the side of the bed. Standing up I made a slow walk down the hall to check up on Sokka who was snoring and mumbling about cactuses.

Okay then that's certainly new.

Edging away from the room in caution I walked down the stairs to find Suki snuggling to the couch cushion.

Seems like everyone was still sleeping, except of course the mysterious lawn mower that is, wherever he was disturbing all the other teenagers sleeping in the neighbourhood.

****

If there was ever a way to get teenagers out of bed willingly it would have to be fried bacon and eggs. Lucky for Katara this won in her favour. Not so lucky for Sokka although, considering the moment he finished devouring said fried bacon and eggs he would have to drive Katara to Toph's house as a payment for a cooked breakfast.

Waiting a moment, I finally heard it.

The fast stomps and creaks on the steps made Katara slip a smile in satisfaction as her half naked brother came tearing into the kitchen with searching eyes for source of food wearing only his boxers. She had him trapped. He wouldn't be able to deny meat, especially fried meat at that, he was going to have to drive me to Toph's for sure.

"Hey sleepy head, what happened to your shirt? Breakfast?" Even before Sokka could answer I grabbed his plate and started to pile food up generously.

Turning around again Sokka was smiling meekly and mumbled "Got hot sleeping I guess. Hey? Is there any orange juice?"

Setting the plate down Katara replied with "Uh, not that I'm aware. You drank it all last Wednesday after training."

"Oh yeah, hey, I guess we've got none then for awhile." Picking up his fork he dove it into his eggs and shoved them in his mouth with a goofy smile.

As Sokka was eating he groaned slightly, holding his head and muttered something that sounded like 'cactus juice is _fucked'_ which I chose to pretend I didn't hear.

Slumping into the kitchen stool at the marble island which I'd set out three plates with salt and pepper, Sokka closed his eyes and began to rub his temples muttering a string of curse words.

"Hey man you're in the presence of a ladies, Sokka." A messy looking Suki was leaning against the doorway making Katara jump. How long was she there for?

"Sorry babe. Just gotta' head ache, ya' know?" Sokka mumbled.

Walking towards Sokka she leant down and kissed him on the cheek which in return Sokka stopped rubbing his head and turned towards Suki and kissed her on the lips.

Beginning to feel awkward Katara cleared her throat making the couple split up and making Suki blush slightly.

Suki reached across and pulled the chair back next to Sokka and sat down smiling slightly.

Out of politeness I asked Suki if she wanted any bacon and eggs which she replied with "Didn't Sokka tell you? I'm vegan. Sorry." which in turn made me nod my head and turn to the pots and cutting boards and started to wash up.

Suki did have the nerve to say "I could really go for a banana right now though..." which meant I had to turn around and smile politely and say "Help yourself to anything Suki, you don't have to ask." to just see that she was already eating the damn banana.

Nodding to myself again I turned back to the sink and washed the plate and then whipped my wet hands on my pink pyjama shorts and started to walk to my bedroom.

Before leaving the kitchen completely I stopped at the doorway and turned to Sokka and said "Hey Sokka remember that deal we made? Where I make you food and you owe me one lift in your car? Well I need you to drive me to Toph's in twenty minutes. Okay sweet thanks!" I rushed out the room before Sokka could protest but I did hear Sokka choking on his food and trying to yell "WHAT?" at the same time and a thumping noise suggesting that Suki was hitting his back.

Ah sibling who own cars, you become so much more loved all.

...

**A/N: Hello! I'm not quite sure if I'll make this into a series yet, so please tell me in the reviews if you want more! Also, It would be awesome if someone could inform me about the American school system and holidays for my please :3 And just stating, boys freaking suck. This guy lead me on for two months and then friend zoned me and I was like 'wut?' cause we acted like such a couple and then BAM! 'lol jks we b fri3ndz'. I felt like a combination of Taylor Swift and Adele and to put it bluntly I cried and called my best friends and ate chocolate and cried some more. Woo I'm pathetic. Anyways...**

**REVIEW ME AND MAKE ME FEEL BETTER DAMN IT! **


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